By Venerable Master Hsing Yun
Founder of Fo Guang Shan
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
Today we gather in front of you in mourning,
To pray for your deceased disciple.
Today, we pray that the deceased will be reborn in the Pure Land.
We also pray that the surviving family members
Will find comfort and be consoled.
There must be a great deal of wistful longing and
emotional attachment between them;
There must be a lot of uncertainty for the future.
Thus we pray to you, Buddha,
With your great, compassionate power,
To bring reconciliation to their emotional attachment
And to give them the support to be liberated and at ease.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
You once taught us that,
“With birth comes death,
“With union comes separation.”
“There is nothing that we can bring along;
“Except for the karma we have created.”
May the family members realize:
The coming and going of life passes in endless succession;
The flame of life will never cease;
The change from life to death is like changing residence; and
And the master of life is still the same.
Life does not begin with birth,
Hence, what is there to celebrate and rejoice?
Life does not end with death,
What is there to be sad and anguished about?
It is more important:
That we bring the light of virtue to illuminate the world;
That we do our best to shelter all beings.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
During this lifetime, your disciple,
Was the pillar of the family and supported it
With their diligent sweat;
Was a powerful force in society and contributed to it
With their precious blood and tears.
What they offered in life has nurtured fragrant flowers
And borne fruit for their family and friends,
And created beautiful memories for this world.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
We pray for your support and protection:
Please wipe away the tears of the family
With your gentle compassion;
Please illuminate the true meaning of life
With your bright wisdom.
May everyone remember the good advice of the deceased disciple;
May everyone praise the kindness and merits of the deceased disciple;
May the brilliance of their life continue into the future;
May the garden of their life blossom endlessly.
Now, we would like to urge the deceased disciple;
Your connection with this world has ended,
Your responsibility in this life has been completed,
Amitabha Buddha is here to receive and lead you,
You should be reborn in the Pure Land at this moment,
Or take a vow to come back again.
Your family will be cared for
By all Buddhas and all bodhisattvas,
Your relatives will be protected and supported
By the Triple Gem and Dharma guardians.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha!
We sincerely pray to you,
May the deceased and their family find comfort,
May the deceased and their family find refuge.
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept our sincerest prayer!
Oh great, compassionate Buddha,
Please accept our sincerest prayer!
(Excerpted from “A Prayer for the Deceased and the Surviving Family Members 為亡者和遺族祈願文)” from Pearls of Wisdom: Prayers for Engaged Living by Ven. Master Hsing Yun)